THE STORM

2. Bria

The next morning Liams dad John wakes me up early. He always wants to go yard sailing every Saturday. Just him and me, it’s kind of our thing. I enjoy hanging out with Liams dad. He always makes me laugh till my stomach hurts. We stop at a few yard sales not really seeing anything, interesting enough to buy. While we are out

, I ask John if he can take me to a few places to get job applications.

I take this time to also tell John, I’m pregnant. John pauses for a minute, then quickly says, “I think you both are too young, but the baby is here now. So, let’s go get those applications.” I have tears in my eyes because John is right.

John pats my shoulder with a smile before we leave. John leans over saying, “it’s going to be ok Bria.”

Every place I got an application from, I grabbed two. One for Liam, and One for me. I tell John “I’m worried Liam will think I’m forcing him to work. when I give him these applications.” John tells me that Liam, needs to work just as much as I do. That having a baby is a big responsibility. Once we get done grabbing applications we head back to the house. John drops me off because he has a few places he needs to pay bills.

I walk in the door and Liam isn't home. As I'm looking for a pen. I hear a car door. Going to the window looking out. Not expecting to see Holly dropping Liam off. I open the door letting it known that I'm home. Holly quickly tells me that, “she saw Liam walking and gave him a ride.” I say, "okay Thank you," She quickly leaves. That’s odd, Holly is my friend well, supposed to be my friend. Liam, and her have been acting weird ever since we all hung out together awhile back.

Liam follows me into the house. once the door is shut, he asks me, “what my problem is?” I turn and ask him, “is there something going on between Holly and you?” His face goes still, but he quickly answers saying, “he doesn’t know what I’m talking about.” That he was walking home from Jakes when she passed by and offered him a ride. I don’t believe him. Holly lives on the other side of town. She has no reason to be over here in this area, but I could be wrong. So, I let it go.

I go into the room grabbing two pens, and when I come out. I hand Liam one, with some applications. He gives me a dirty look, and says, " I have told you we have nine months. why are you still on this right now?" I ignore his question because I’m tired of having to explain why, he needs a job. I set down to fill out my applications in silence when he comes over, grabbing my application ripping it up. Yelling " you don’t need to work right now." As he is yelling his dad walks in.

John takes in what he just Hurd, and is quick to tell his son. “Liam you both are going to have to work extra hard.” It takes money to raise a baby. You can’t wait nine months you have to start looking now. Liam asks his dad “why, he is sticking up for me?”

John snaps at him saying, " Grow up Liam, She didn’t make this baby herself, you helped put that little one in her." John looks at Liam and says, "son part of raising a baby involves money." "You are going to have formula, diapers, wipes and so much more."

"Not to mention at some point you are going to need to get your own place, and a car.

I don’t mind the two of you staying here, but this home isn’t that great to bring a baby home to. Liam as soon as, you are eighteen wouldn’t it be nice to have your own place to raise your baby in?" Liam yells "okay, okay, I get it. I need to get a job." He sets down beside me and fills out some applications. I quickly ask John if we can use his number for the applications. So, they have a way to contact us for an interview. I also ask if he can turn these applications in for us Monday, before he goes to work? He says, "yes."

We have been filling out applications for an hour when John says, " your mom called and wants Liam and you to come out for dinner." I tell john to text her, we will be there.

I hurry and go get ready to go see my mom. I haven't told her I’m pregnant yet and while we are at dinner. I plan to tell her. Liam asks his dad if we can borrow the car to go. John tosses Liam the keys, and we are out the door.

While on the road Liam says, " next time ask me before you say yes to a dinner. Maybe I had f*****g plans. Also, maybe I wanted to tell my dad you’re pregnant. Did you ever think about that?" I tell him that I didn't think he would mind. Thankfully Liam

lets it go. As we drive the rest of the way the car is silent. Until we pull in, I ask Liam if he is ready to tell my mom we are pregnant. Liam groans and says, " I guess so. You told my dad, so we don’t really have a choice."

My mom meets us out by the car giving Liam and me a hug. While we walk into the house. Bryan her husband comes down the hall asking us " how we are doing?"

I take this time to spill the news. I say, " well we have some news." My mom and Bryan looking at me and Liam curiously’. Liam says, " Bria is pregnant." I thought my mom might be upset, but she wasn’t. I mean how could she be upset. She had me when she was sixteen. So, I guess the apple doesn’t fall far from the tree. My dad used to always tell me “You’re going to be, just like your f*****g mother." Well, guess he was right. I’m sixteen and pregnant.

my mom hasn’t stopped jumping up, and down. She says, "I'm excited to be a grandma."

After, the excitement has calmed down, and we are eating dinner. My mom tells us, “Thanks for coming to dinner." Liam reply’s with, " no problem, but next time Bria needs to run it by me before she accepts an invitation." My mom doesn't say anything to that, and the rest of the dinner was eaten in silence.

It’s after dinner. I’m talking to my mom and Bryan about the baby. When Liam says, " it’s time to go Bria." I go to ask if we can stay longer, but he says, " now! Bria."

I look at my mom and she doesn’t say anything. She used to not ever let anyone talk to me like this. She used to always tell me never let a man tell you what to do, or how to be.

I get up, and Liam leads me out the door. Not even giving me time to give my mom a hug.

Thirty minutes later we are pulling up to the house, when I start to feel sick. I rush out of the car, to the bathroom. I spend most of my night, throwing up.

Sunday, I wake up and dart out of the bed to the bathroom. I spend my morning with my face in the toilet. When Liam comes into the bathroom. I figured he might ask me if I’m ok, but he doesn’t. Liam needs to use the bathroom, so I try to get up but quickly go back to getting sick. He yells and says, “damn, I have to piss.” Unzipping his pants, and pisses in the bathtub. When he is finished, he still doesn’t ask me if I need anything he just says, “He is going out with Jake.”

It’s about an hour after Liam left when I hear John knock on the door. He asks, “Bria are you ok in there?” I tell him that he can come in, so he does. When he sees me, he says, “Bria you look pail do you need me to go get you something for the sickness?” I quickly tell him no, that there are saltine crackers on the counter in the kitchen, and ask if he will get them for me. When John comes back into the bathroom handing me the crackers, we hear the front door open.

John leaves and I can hear him yelling at Liam. Telling Liam that he needs to be better. That He needs to be the one helping me threw this. I hear Liam yell “I had plans.” I hear John snap and tell Liam “Well your f*****g plans change when you have a girl pregnant.” I listen to them argue for a while.

I’m finally starting to feel a little better, so I get up. My back is killing me from being on the floor for that long. I walk into the Livingroom, and I can feel the tension between John and Liam. I don’t say anything. I just go to our room and sleep the rest of the day and night away.